Belt

ABSTRACT

A belt includes a buckle and a band. The band has a surface to which a plurality of decorative members is mounted. The decorative members are arranged in a spaced manner or simply in the form of strips and are made of a magnetic material. A magnet is mounted to an end portion of the band. As such, when the end portion of the band is set beyond the buckle, the magnetism induced by the magnetic body is attracted and thus securely kept in position by the decorative members mounted on the surface of the band, so that the end portion of the band is in a compliantly and flat laid condition without causing curving or slackness. Thus, the overall image of the wearer of the belt is improved and interference caused by outward curving of the end portion of the band is eliminated.

(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a belt, and more particularly to a structure of belt that allows a belt end to be compliantly laid flat against a surface of belt band, after extending through a belt buckle.

(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Clothing is helpful in setting off the taste and nature of a wearer. Some clothing, such as trousers, is often worn with a belt for securely holding the trousers to the waist of the wearer. Also, the belt is also helpful in promoting the overall style and cast of the wearer. Structurally, the belt is composed of a buckle and a band. The band has a leading end that is attached to the buckle and a tailing end, which may be sometimes referred to as a belt head, is set through belt loops of the trousers and then coupled to the buckle. It is often that a very end portion of the belt head, after passing through the buckle, projects beyond the buckle. The end portion that extends beyond the buckle is often set through one of the belt loops to be kept in position by the belt loop. This has been long the case for wearing a belt without any substantial change. However, the end portion of the belt that extends beyond the buckle is of a length, which changes with the thickness of clothing fabric, number of clothes worn, and even the diet style of the wearer. It is commonplace that a consumer intends to purchase a belt that is slightly longer than the actually required length so that the end portion of the belt that extends beyond the buckle may reach the adjacent belt loop, as shown in FIG. 1, in a belt is shown set around the waist portion of shorts. The belt has a band 1 that has an end portion 12 extending through a buckle 2 to reach the first belt loop 3 next to the buckle. In case that the end portion 12 is excessively long and projects over the first belt loop 3, the tip of the end portion 12 may get curved outward. This may lead to deterioration of inconsistency of the overall image of the wearer. Further, the outward curving of the end portion 12 may cause interference with people or articles moving close by. Apparently, such an embarrassing situation deserves a solution. Although most of the improvements of belts or waistbands are placed on the buckle and band, it is still a challenge for the industry to develop a solution that effectively handles the end portion of a belt that extends over a belt loop and thus gets loose and non-fixed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a belt, and particularly an improvement made on a belt band to allow an end portion of the band, after extending over the closest belt loop of trousers, to be laid compliantly and flat on a band surface to be kept securely in position and thus improving the overall image of a belt wearer and eliminating undesired interference caused by an outward curved portion of the belt band.

The present invention provides a belt that comprises a buckle and a band, wherein the band has a surface to which a plurality of decorative members is mounted. The decorative members are arranged in a spaced manner or simply in the form of strips. The decorative members are made of metal or magnetic material. The decorative members can be of various shapes and configurations. A magnet is mounted to an end portion of the belt band by embedding the magnet inside the end portion of the band or by fixing the magnet on a surface of the end portion of the band. As such, when the end portion of the band is set beyond the buckle, the magnetism induced by the magnet is attracted and thus securely kept in position by the decorative members mounted on the surface of the band, so that the end portion of the band is laid compliantly and flat on the surface of the band without causing curving or slackness and thus the overall image of the wearer of the belt is improved and interference caused by outward curving of the end portion of the band is eliminated.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of a conventional belt.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a belt constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the belt according to the present invention.

FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a belt constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the present invention provides a belt, which comprises a buckle 4 and a band 5. The present invention is made to provide an improvement or modification of the band 5 and thus the following description will simply skip details of the buckle 4. As shown in the drawings, the band 5 has a front end 51 that is fixed to the buckle 4. The present invention is made primarily to mount a plurality of decorative members 6 on a surface of the band 5. The decorative members 6 are arranged in a spaced manner or simply in the form of strips and the decorative members 6 are made of metal or magnetically attractive material. The decorative members 6 can be of various shapes and configurations. At least one magnetic body 7 that induces magnetism is mounted to an end portion 52 of the band. The magnetic body 7 can be arranged inside or outside the end portion 52. In a practical application, the magnetic body can be a fabric piece that contains or embeds magnetic metals therein, or can alternatively be flexible magnetic material. The magnetic body 7 can alternatively be mounted to a surface of the end portion 52 and may be provided with a pattern on a surface thereof to service as mark of trade name or brand. As such, when the end portion 52 is set beyond the buckle 4, the magnetism induced by the magnetic body 7 can be used for being attracted and kept in position by the decorative members 6 mounted on the surface of the band 5, so that the end portion 52 of the band can be laid compliantly and flat on the surface of the band as shown in FIG. 4 without causing curving or slackness. Thus the overall image of the wearer of the belt is improved and interference caused by outward curving of the end portion 52 of the band is eliminated.

Referring to FIG. 5, the band 5 may be provided with magnetic body 7 that is embedded in the band and an end portion 52 of the band is provided with at least one decorative member 6. Thus, the end portion 52 of the band, after extending through the buckle 4, can attract the decorative member 6 mounted to the end portion 52 of the band through the magnetism of the magnetic body 7. Again, the end portion 52 of the band can be kept in a compliantly and flat laying condition without outward curving or slackness. The overall image of the belt wearer can be improved and interference caused by outward curving of the end portion 52 of the band is eliminated.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

I claim:
 1. A belt comprising a buckle and a band, the band having a surface to which a plurality of decorative members is mounted, the decorative members being arranged in a spaced manner or in the form of strips, the decorative members being made of a magnetic material, characterized in that the band has an end portion to which at least one magnetic body is mounted, the magnetic body being arranged inside the end portion of the band or being mounted to a surface of the end portion, whereby the end portion of the band is kept in position through mutual attraction with the decorative members mounted to the surface of the band by means of the magnetism of the magnetic body thereof so as to set the end portion of the band in a compliantly and flat laid condition.
 2. A belt comprising a buckle and a band, characterized in that the band has an end portion to which at least one decorative member is mounted and a remaining portion in which a magnetic body is received, whereby the end portion of the band is kept in position through mutual attraction with the magnetism of the magnetic body inside the band by means of the decorative member mounted thereto so as to set the end portion of the band in a compliantly and flat laid condition. 